The Bet

She turned in her seat and the old legs of the desk squealed in pain as she reached out with her freshly sharpened pencil and tapped the shoulder of the unfamiliar boy.

"Are you, uh, Armstrong?" She asked, startling the boy.

Billie Joe was surprised when he turned to see it was her that he was partnered with. He figured she was smart, though, which cut him a break.

"Yeah." He nodded. "I am. You're...Summers?" He chuckled softly but the girl didn't seem to be fazed.

"My name's Shayla," She corrected him.

"Shayla, huh? Never heard that one before." He tried making conversation as he slid out of the desk and grabbed his blue pen.

Shayla Summers was also known by reputation, and the two of them were polar opposites. She was the smart girl. Ranked highest in her graduating class, Shayla was already accepted into her college of choice. Her father was the mayor of Santa Monica, and she was the sheltered, goodie-goodie with the perfect life.

Or, that's what everyone thought.

"Well, what can I say? My parents like to think outside the box." She spoke with a soft, velvet voice. She stood up from her desk and pulled her skirt down.

As the two of them made their way across the classroom, Billie caught Mike's eye. Mike did a pelvic thrust to the air and Billie snorted. Shayla looked over her shoulder with only mild interest and stopped once they reached the cabinet that held the protective goggles.

She grabbed two pairs and she dropped the second pair in Billie's hands; avoiding coming in contact with his skin.

Once they received their directions from Ms. Jackson, and set up the equipment, Billie hopped onto the worn black counter top. His eyes made their way back down her narrow body and he stared at the fading green and yellow bruise on her porcelain skin.

"So." Billie coughed, "What happened to your leg?"

Shayla slowly looked up from the directions and stared at Billie with shifty eyes.

"Corner of a desk."

Billie knew the conversation ended there and started tapping his pencil against his leg. This girl wasn't sociable, but Billie knew his way with women. He hopped off the counter top and stood behind the girl.

He placed his hands on both of her shoulders, causing her to jump far away from him.

"What are you doing?" She hissed, straightening her skirt. People around the room looked with curiosity and Billie felt his cheeks heat up.

"Nothing! I was going to help you relax! Jeez." He huffed, running a hand through his short, slightly curly hair. He crossed his arms over his chest and turned so his back was to the counter top.

Shayla was hesitant to what had happened, and slowly made her way back to the lab and watched Billie out of the corner of her eye as she finished reading the directions.

"We need to fill a test tube with Zinc. Can you do that?" She questioned, tucking a curl behind her ear.

Billie was surprised she spoke to him, but turned toward the table and she handed him a test tube.

"So you do talk," he observed.

She shrugged as she looked over the paper a final time, flipping it over, and he smiled slightly.

"Or not." He chuckled to himself as he walked away from the lab.

As the school day came to an end, Shayla gathered up her books and stood by the door awaiting the bell. Billie stood by the door as well since Mike was still putting away his lab station.

Once the ball rung, Shayla pushed off the wall and headed out into the crowded hall.

"We should probably communicate if we're going to be working together," Billie said as he walked alongside her. She shrugged, looking around the halls.

"Yeah, sure. I have to go, though, I'm meeting my boyfriend."

Billie could have easily been slapped in the face. He turned to Shayla and gaped.

"You don't talk, yet somehow you have a boyfriend?"

She laughed. "I talk. Just not to you."

She cut diagonal across the hall and Billie watched in shock as she joined sides with Dave Matthews; football line backer. Mike slapped Billie's back, stealing back his attention.

Shayla was happy to be reunited with Dave once again, and he looked ahead to where she had been mere seconds ago.

"I wouldn't associate yourself with Billie Joe, Shay," Dave warned, looking at his girlfriend.

"Who's Billie Joe?" She looked back in the same direction and scanned all the different people.

"The guy you were just talking with."

Shayla had never learned his name.

"Oh, he's just a guy."

"Yeah." Dave sighed. "That's what they all say."

Shayla looked back in the direction she had come from and watched as Billie Joe's eyes followed a girl passing by.